Buddha-Phobics, Gay-Bashing, and Other Tales

As I look at the news and world events around me, it’s hard not to see that homosexuality is becoming more and more open today’s society. Though I personally do not agree with the lifestyle, at the end of the day, all I can say is, to each their own. I’m sure there are many who do not agree with my lifestyle too, and I’m OK with that.  Whatever.

What I find strangely interesting, if not downright amusing, is that while some are, as the old expression goes,  “coming out of the closet,” others appear to be going into it. What do I mean by that? Let me try and explain, but before I do, a caveat is in order.

Though this is normally a faith and church themed blog, this post has nothing whatsoever to do with faith, church or religion of any kind. The arguments here are entirely non-religious in every way. What I’m interested in exploring here is not homosexuality or religion, for in truth I couldn’t care less one way or another about either. Again, to each their own.

What I want to talk about here is the question of freedom of speech.

Are the rights and freedoms and equalities the one side is claiming that they’re being denied, ironically also being denied by them to the other side? The one side claims that the other is intolerant because it has not accepted their choice of lifestyle, whereas I have heard others also wonder if they too haven’t had their rights and freedoms and equalities trampled on simply because they have a different point of view. How interesting.

Again, let me reiterate, this is not a pro nor anti homosexuality post; I really couldn’t care less one way or another what people call themselves, nor how they choose to label themselves. The truth is, it really doesn’t matter to me; no one is accountable to me, nor am I accountable to them; end of story.

To my gay friends, I have only one request: PLEASE stop calling people who do not agree with your lifestyle “homophobic.” I don’t know why that bugs me, but it does. Maybe it has something to do with my tendency to be somewhat of a grammar cop. “Phobic” properly defined means “scared of.” Why is it that someone who has a different opinion from another person is said to be scared (phobic) of the other person? That is about as logical as a Buddhist saying that all who don’t embrace Buddhism are “Buddha-phobics,” or a Christian claiming that all who do not embrace Christianity are “Christ-a-phobics.”

I said that this post had nothing to do with a Christian view of homosexuality, and it doesn’t, but please allow me one Bible verse. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18). Are you a homosexual? Strive to live “at peace” with those who aren’t homosexuals. Are you a heterosexual? Strive to live “at peace” with those who aren’t heterosexuals. There, wasn’t that easy? Problem solved!

What is wrong with giving each other room to have different opinions? Now there’s a concept worth fighting for! Forget the idiotic notion of fighting with neighbors and relatives, using the “intolerant” and “phobic” cards. Did not our forefathers fight and die to leave us a country that valued freedom of speech? Why are we so bent on being the generation that dismantles it?

Have you “come out of the closet?” Good for you. Just please don’t force others who think differently from you to go into the now vacated closet because they’re scared to voice a difference of opinion.

Finally, in the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “An eye for an eye, will make us all blind.” Something for all of us to think about, regardless which side of the closet door you're standing on. Peace.

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